Why My 2 Kids Are Perfect for My Family

by Kristine Croto on January 29, 2015

Kristine Croto

About the Author

Kristine Croto is a mom raising two kids in small(ish) town in Vermont. With an eye towards attachment parenting practices, but an ultimate belief that whatever stops the crying and doesn't break the kiddos is the way to go, she tries to walk the walk half as well as she talks the talk on Ravelry.com's parenting forums.

About the Blog

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Before my second daughter was born, I thought I'd want another baby. But when I held her in my arms, my older daughter looking on, and my husband beaming down at "his girls," I knew my family was complete with two kids.

There are a number of reasons that this family size is perfect for us. With two kids and two parents, my husband and I are never outnumbered. We trade off bedtimes, baths, dinners, and tantrums. Our car is a subcompact: We'd never fit a third car seat into the backseat.

My girls are five and two. Despite the difference in their ages, they play together, hang out together, and cuddle each other. Their relationship isn't perfect, of course; we struggle with helping our oldest, who is incredibly verbal, relate to our youngest, who barely talks. But when either one of them hurts herself, the other is right there, hugging her sister until they both feel better. When our youngest moved into her older sister's room, my oldest said to me, "Don't worry, Mom, if my sister gets sad and cries in the night, I will go and cuddle her until you get there." (In reality, she just yells through the house, "Mom! My sister is awake!" but still, it was a sweet thought.)

But, the biggest reason why two kids was the right number for our family was the way that second child made me humble. After my first, I really thought I had this motherhood thing down. I thought that I was the bees' knees, a great mother, the Crunchy Queen. My second daughter taught me how lucky I'd been the first go 'round. After having a child who slept like a dream and a child who never slept; a child who nursed like her life depended on it and a child who couldn't care less; a child who sucked her thumb and a child who preferred her binkie; a child whose heart broke at every single slight and a child who shrugs off everything with barely a worry; I've realized how little I actually have to do with who my kids are.

They are born as independent little people, and while it may be my job to guide them, I'm not in control of them. I didn't make my first a poor sleeper any more than I made my second daughter a good sleeper. Having two kids has helped me to be more understanding of other people's parenthood journeys and remember not to judge. After all, the goal isn't to beat each other down, but to survive this wild ride — together.

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